VivienneR Watches Weather in 2023 part 2

I'm Vivienne, I live in the Kootenay region of beautiful British Columbia surrounded by snowy mountains. I've been doing the Category Challenge for 10 years.

Every year I find myself searching for a book to fit one of my self-imposed categories, or holding back some books that might fit a CAT or KIT later in the year, with the result that some books on my "read soon" list manage to get left out. In this year's simplified challenge I'll list my reading each month and hope to avoid the problem.

Reading plans:

       

Recently read:

             

January - time to hit the slopes on Red Mountain, British Columbia

1. The Cure for Death By Lightning by Gail Anderson-Dargatz
   
2. The Raven Mother by Brett D. Huson, illustrated by Natasha Donovan
   
3. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
   
4. Road Ends by Mary Lawson
   
5. Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson
   
6. Fleshmarket Close by Ian Rankin
   
7. A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon
   
8. A Dead Man in Naples by Michael Pearce
   
9. The Long Call by Ann Cleeves
   
10. You Only Live Twice by Ian Fleming
    
11. The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths
    
12. A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
    
13. Elegy for April by Benjamin Black
    
14. The Catch: Slough House novella by Mick Herron
    
15. A constellation of vital phenomena by Anthony Marra
    
16. Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Seaside Corpse by Marthe Jocelyn
    
17. A death in Vienna by Daniel Silva
    
18. Rock paper scissors by Alice Feeney
    
19. The Clutter Corpse by Simon Brett
    
    

February - sun dog in Ottawa

1. The Scarred Woman by Jussi Adler Olsen
   
2. The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves
   
3. Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
   
4. Fire and Brimstone by Colin Bateman
   
5. Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister
   
6. The Monk of Mokha by Dave Eggers
   
7. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
   
8. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
   
9. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
   
10. The Religious Body by Catherine Aird
    
11. The Great War: July 1, 1916: the first day of the Battle of the Somme: an illustrated panorama by Joe Sacco, Adam Hochschild
    
12. Death of a Busybody by George Bellairs
    
13. The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen
    
14. Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
    
15. The Hanging Valley by Peter Robinson
    
16. From the desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
    
17. The Second Cut by Louise Welsh
    

March - last year's icicles were spectacular!

1. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
   
2. Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich
   
3. Post Captain by Patrick O’Brian
   
4. Stone Rain by Linwood Barclay
   
5. Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler
   
6. Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
   
7. Arguably by Christopher Hitchens
   
8. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
   
9. The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
   
10. Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers
    
11. Wild Boy: a tale of Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer
    
12. Why Sinéad O'Connor Matters by Allyson McCabe
    
13. Photo Finish by Ngaio Marsh
    
14. Raven Black by Ann Cleeves
    
15. The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield
    
16. The Girl in the Blue Beret by Bobbie Ann Mason
    
17. The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa

April - rain showers - a good time to stay inside reading

1. A Talent for Murder by Andrew Wilson
   
2. The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst
   
3. Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
   
4. Dark Blood by Stuart MacBride
   
5. Tragedy at Law by Cyril Hare
   
6. Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin
   
7. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
   
8. The Glass Key by Dashiel Hammett
   
9. The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West
   
10. Our Kind of Traitor by John le Carré
    
11. The Dinner by Herman Koch
    
12. Matilda by Roald Dahl
    
13. Theodore Boone: The Abduction by John Grisham
    
14. Dead Like You by Peter James
    
15. The Last Hand by Eric Wright
    
16. Beau Death by Peter Lovesey
    
17. Dry Bones by Margaret Mayhew
    
18. Muzzled by David Rosenfelt

May - clear starry nights

1. Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris
   
2. I, Claudius by Robert Graves
   
3. The Unlocking Season by Gail Bowen
   
4. Arctic Chill by Arnaldur Indridason
   
5. The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
   
6. Hope by Len Deighton
   
7. The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman
   
8. Stateless by Elizabeth Wein

June - balmy days perfect for outdoor reading

July - heatwave

August - dog days of summer

September - thunderstorm in Toronto

October - cool nights and the Aurora Borealis in Jasper Alberta

November - mist

December - snow!

1. features music or musician: Why Sinéad O'Connor Matters by Allyson McCabe
2. features inn or hotel: Rock paper scissors by Alice Feeney
3. features cat family member
4. next in series you’ve started: The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths
5. author in your zodiac sign
6. memoir
7. bestseller from 20 years ago: The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa
8. plant in title or on cover
9. switched or stolen identities
10. taught you something
11. book on the cover
12. art or craft related
13. read a CAT
14. small town / rural setting
15. STEM topic: The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield
16. 4+ LT rating: Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchens
17. local or regional author
18. involves an accident
19. features journalist / ism
20. popular author’s 1st book
21. topic you don’t usually read: The Great War: July 1, 1916: the first day of the Battle of the Somme: an illustrated panorama by Joe Sacco, Adam Hochschild
22. number or quantity in title
23. author under 30
24. set on plane, train, or ship: Stateless by Elizabeth Wein
25. > 1,000 copies on LT

Happy new thread, Vivienne! Have you read any of Welsh's other books, besides the ones about Rilke?

>15 RidgewayGirl: No, but I do own some. The next one I plan to read is A Lovely Way to Burn. Have you read any? Can you make any recommendations?

Enjoying your weather pics again

>16 VivienneR: The trilogy that begins with A Lovely Way to Burn is good. I have a stand alone book of hers, Naming the Bones, to read next.

>17 Nickelini: Thank you, Joyce! I believe you've been having some dramatic weather in the Vancouver area!

>18 RidgewayGirl: Good, I have the trilogy! I also have The Face at the Window. I'll watch for your opinion of Naming the Bones because that's one I don't own.

>19 VivienneR: Yes! The snow has been tragic indeed. My garden is weeks behind, actually (well, 10 days, at least). Can you please start a Go-Fund Me for me? I appreciate your sympathy

Happy new thread.
We're, if anything, ahead this year, been a early spring. But you watch some frost go & ruin that! Usually just when the blossom on the plum tree is out.

Happy new thread, Vivienne. Those icicles look brilliant! But I'm sure it would be nicer without this year.

Happy new thread, Vivienne. Try to keep the BBs to a minimum, please!

Happy new thread!

>20 Nickelini: Behind 10 days!! I can't even find my garden!

>21 Helenliz: We thought we might have an early spring but then got a substantial snowfall. It's sad when frost arrives after the blossoms.

>22 MissWatson: The icicles are welcome, it means spring is arriving.

>23 dudes22: Thank you, Betty. Same to you re BBs!

>24 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer.

These are the books I'm planning for March:

RandomKIT Water, water everywhere

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Raven Black by Ann Cleeves

Stone Rain by Linwood Barclay

MysteryKIT Paranormal

Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich

AlphaKIT G & A

Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

SeriesCAT YA

Wild Boy: a tale of Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer

ClassicsCAT Adapted to screen

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

GeoCAT Australia and New Zealand

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

Photo Finish by Ngaio Marsh

KiddyCAT YA historical fiction

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

Historical Fiction Challenge 19th century

Post Captain by Patrick O'Brian

Bingo

Arguably by Christopher Hitchens By journalist


Weather by Jenny Offill STEM topic


Before the Fall by Noah Hawley Set on a plane

>25 VivienneR: I'm plannng on readig Post Captain in March too. I also have The Woman in the Library waiting for a spot.

I am excited to see you are going to be reading Post Captain as I loved that series. Are you just reading this one as a stand-alone or are you going to read the series?

>27 clue: That'll be fun, Luanne! We can compare notes!

>28 DeltaQueen50: I read Master and Commander not so long ago and loved it, so I quickly acquired several more. Glad you support the choice, the BBs I get from you are always so reliable.

>25 VivienneR: Behind 10 days!! I can't even find my garden!

Ha! Jokes on me because now I can't find my garden either. Having snow on the ground is almost unheard of this time of year. Maybe we'll all catch up by May long weekend ;-)

>30 Nickelini: I sympathize because I know so many Vancouver area gardens have tender plants or those that have started growing already and can't take this wild weather.

>26 VivienneR: I just had a look at Weather by Jenny Offill and found that LT recommended it to me based on the following books in my library:

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life by George Saunders
Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny
When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín Labatut
Outline by Rachel Cusk

I can see some links between the Tokarczuk and Labatut, but the others? I'll have to read Weather to find out.

What lovely photos! I'm glad I'm looking at the March picture though, rather than experiencing the temperature that will have caused all those icicles!

>32 pamelad: They are strange connections! I guess we'll find out the reasoning.

>33 Jackie_K: The icicles this year are few and don't last long. Last year was fabulous. My son and I had great fun using them as javelins (I lost, I can't throw for peanuts). They formed from roof to the ground and from inside looked like we were behind gorgeous bars. It was unusual, but then it was an unusual year weatherwise.

>16 VivienneR: I have A Lovely Way to Burn on my TBR and hope to get to it in March.

>35 Tess_W: That one looks great! I'll start it as soon as I finish the Cutting Room trilogy. And I'll watch for your comments.

My first book for March:



RandomKIT - Water, water, everywhere

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

A fabulous, exciting story. My favourite characters were Ben Gunn and Long John Silver but the parrot repeatedly squawking "pieces of eight" was memorable. Said to be a boy's adventure book but I enjoyed it as much as any adventure-seeking boy. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Albert Molina who did an outstanding job.

I have always claimed that Kidnapped was my favourite. As I read that one recently I thought I'd compare it with Treasure Island by reading them close together. My conclusion: it's a tie! I loved both.

MysteryKIT - supernatural

Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich

I know some regard this as a fun story, but it's not for me.

>38 VivienneR: I also prefer crime fiction to be free of supernatural intervention and am a fan of Ronald Knox's Ten Commandments.

>39 pamelad: I didn't know the ten commandments were Ronald Knox's. As I was reading his list I thought he should have added twins, but there they were, right at the end. I recently read much the same, listed by the vicar, I believe, in Death of a Busybody by George Bellairs.

I saw something on tv once featuring Evanovich's character Diesel and thought he might be entertaining. Possibly, if paired with Stephanie Plum, but not here. And the monkey was just plain creepy.

Oh, I need to read Treasure Island again, Vivienne ..Actually, I’ll listen. I remember listening to it with my husband many years ago on a car trip.

>41 NanaCC: I had a choice of two narrators, Colleen, and was so glad I picked Albert Molina. He's terrific. I had forgotten how much fun Robert L. Stevenson is.

It looks like you are reading lots! I'm glad to see you enjoying a few of those old mystery classics on the previous thread.

>43 thornton37814: Hi Lori! I love those old mystery classics! Love the places, the characters, the language.

I just heard that Christopher Fowler, author of the Bryant and May series, has died. I will try to fit in one of his books this month.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/mar/03/bryant-may-novelist-christopher-fo...

Historical Fiction Challenge - 19th century

Post Captain by Patrick O'Brian

Not as good as Master and Commander, there was just too much happening on land. Still, I enjoyed the time spent at sea. And I enjoyed the character development of Aubrey and Maturin and look forward to more in further episodes.

We're about to have several days in the low 80s, then drop by ten degrees from one day to the next.
I've been coddling several heirloom sunflowers for months that I've grown from seeds. They are covered in buds that will open in a week or so. They're under attack from milkweed bugs but I'm gonna win.

>47 mstrust: Your temperatures sound wonderful, especially as we are still snowbound! Once upon a time I grew one sunflower in a pot, but it was about 15 feet tall. I'm glad I got a photo because it will never be repeated. It demanded constant water so I put the pot in a large container filled with water. At ground level it was the ugliest set up you've ever seen but looking up the flower was lovely.

I wish you every success with your heirloom sunflowers and the war against milkweed bugs, Jennifer. I'll watch out for photos!

Catching up with three books after a busy week when I got behind posting.



MysteryKIT - paranormal

Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler

After reading some from this series out of order, this was a good chance to find out where two old friends and colleagues, Bryant and May, originated. The Peculiar Crimes Unit investigates cold crimes, or "particular" crimes. A combination of present day London, 1940s London and the theatre make an excellent atmospheric backdrop for Bryant and May's humour. I had several laugh-out-loud moments. Recommended.

I chose to read this one because of Christopher Fowler's death just a few days ago.



AlphaKIT - G & A

Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

A gripping story of a mother who watched her teenage son stab someone late one night. He is now in custody, his life ruined. When she wakens the next day she finds it is really one day before yesterday and the stabbing has not yet happened. And every morning thereafter, she wakens another day earlier and realizes she might be able to go back far enough to prevent the stabbing. I never read time travel novels but this was enthralling.



RandomKIT - Water water everywhere

Stone Rain by Linwood Barclay

One of Barclay's typical page-turner mysteries that sparkles with humour. Yes, it was far-fetched but highly entertaining. Newspaper reporter, Zack Walker tries to help a friend who happens to be a dominatrix, but he runs into trouble and then just keeps getting in deeper, and deeper. I loved the episode where he was demoted to the Home! section of the paper. Barclay is one of my favourite authors but he got points off for a couple of executions that did nothing for the plot otherwise this could have been a five-star read.

Happy New Thread (although I am late), and so many great books! It has snowed a lot these days in northern Germany, too. We don't have a garden, but still I am waiting for spring.

>37 VivienneR: I haven't read Treasure Island yet, but I did like Kidnapped when I read it a few years ago. I need to get to Treasure Island sooner than later!

>49 VivienneR: Wrong Place, Wrong Time sounds intriguing.

>50 MissBrangwen: Thank you, Mirjam! I like snow and spend more time outside clearing snow than summer gardening. It seems my garden shrinks every year so that now it is just flowers.

I hope you have fun reading Treasure Island when you get around to it.

Bingo - has a 4+ rating on LT

Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchens

I've been dipping into this library book of essays by Hitchens, one of my favourite authors, for the last few weeks. It's over 700 pages and I was picking essays here and there but was so awed by the quality of subjects and writing that I ordered my own copy. Difficult to name favourites, there were so many and I'm not quite finished, but On Animal Farm definitely belongs in the upper echelon.

KiddyCAT - Historical fiction

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

Why are coming-of-age stories so gloomy? Especially those intended for young adults. Thankfully Mattie survived, a girl with less emotional strenth and determination may not have. The story appeared to have been created to make use of the real life murder of Grace Brown. The part I enjoyed most was the treatment administered to the flasher at Table 6.

>53 VivienneR: - I read this earlier this year and I liked it a bit more than you did, although I didn't realize it was a YA book until I saw the tags, afterwards.

>54 dudes22: Yes, you (like most readers) liked it more than I did but despite that I have to thank you for the BB. I guess I've read too many books featuring children growing up in abject poverty, although I know it was a fact of real life during the Depression era that affected many countries.

Mattie's "find a word" routine reminded me of a childhood friend who did much the same thing. Every day she looked in the dictionary for three or four unfamiliar words then used them at the first opportunity. Her vocabulary was impressive if a little surprising to find her essays peppered with unfamiliar words.

I’ve listened to almost all of the Bryant and May series, Vivienne. The reader is really good for this series. I notice that several of the books are no longer available on audible. I’m not sure why. I am going to ask, mainly because I bought them, and they should be available for a re-listen if I wanted to, I think.

>56 NanaCC: It seems that around my neck of the woods, Christopher Fowler books, in any format, are hard to find. I'm not sure how audible works but it would be unfair to remove the audiobooks after purchasing them.

I really liked Bryant and May. I have a picture of them in my mind.

A fair number of the Bryant and May audiobooks are on Libro.fm (the indie version of Audible), but I don't think even that site has all of them. (Full Dark House, puzzlingly, is one of the ones that's missing.)

>49 VivienneR: I read his obituary this week. The library doesn't have the first in the series, but it does have some of the later ones.

>57 VivienneR: The strange part is that they were originally there on audible, because I listened to all of them. I need to take time to reach out and find out answers.

>59 Helenliz: I read his obituary too. I got the impression he was a very likeable chap. He had a good sense of humour.

>60 NanaCC: I hope you are able to find answers, Colleen. I download audiobooks from Overdrive which means I can keep them.

Morning! Your sunflower is beautiful with those long, bright petals! Good job!
I had my first sunflower open yesterday. Because it's an heirloom, the petals aren't uniform, but it has short Autumn colored petals and the bees love it. A second bud is going to open in a few days and it should be very pretty when more of the buds along the stalk open.

>49 VivienneR: Linwood Barclay is one of my favourites too, though I've only read the first of the Zack Walker novels. I should get back to that series.

>62 mstrust: Thank you, I was pretty happy with it. Yours sound gorgeous. I've seen sunflowers in the store with more than one flower on the stem and although they're beautiful I haven't seen anyone growing them. Most people around here grow them for the Fall Fair contest. We have often seen cars on the way to the fair with the sunflower strapped on top, sticking out at both ends of the car. Ours fed birds and bees.

>63 mathgirl40: Linwood Barclay books are wonderful. That was my first Zack Walker so now I have to go back to the beginning of the series. I love the humour in all his books but Zack has it combined with a silliness that is irresistible.

GeoCAT - Antipodes

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

If this was a contest for the biggest number of twists in a mystery novel, it would beat all contenders. It was a bit like walking into the hall of mirrors at the fair with everything distorted. My first try reading this was cut short because I wasn't paying enough attention and quickly became confused by the book within a book within a book plot. My second try was successful, but be warned not to let the mind wander. I thought the Australian/American translations were overdone but they would attract an American audience. Clever, completely unbelievable, but a lot of fun.

>64 VivienneR: I've just posted a pic of my sunflower on my thread because it's a little large so I didn't want to do that on yours.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/346491#n8096858

>66 mstrust: Thanks for letting me know, Jennifer. I was just blown away by that photo! Well done!

>65 VivienneR: Your mention of Australian/American translations has intrigued me, so I've borrowed The Woman in the Library. I'm not a huge fan of meta fiction, but it doesn't hurt to try.

>68 pamelad: Oh good! But now I'm wondering who I got the BB from. I've read some rave reviews but it didn't impress me as much. If I'm honest, I'd prefer an Australian to set the book in Australia. I'm not a fan of meta fiction either so I'll look forward to your opinion.

ClassicsCAT - Adapted to screen

Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers

When the Duke of Denver is arrested for murdering his sister's fiancé, Lord Peter rushes home to do a bit of detecting. Apart from the delightful humour, one of the most appealing elements of Sayers' mystery novels is that she always incorporated commentary of social conditions and happenings of the day. In this story, Wimsey takes a flight across the Atlantic to secure a witness statement to clear his brother, a trip that sounds almost innocuous until it is remembered that this was in 1920. In the open plane, pilot and passenger were soaked in a rainstorm on the return journey! The Duke's dramatic trial in the House of Lords was an excellent display of the pomp and pageantry associated with that institution. Favourite characters here are police Chief Inspector Parker who overcomes his timidity in a Paris shop to buy lingerie for his sister; Wimsey naturally; and Bunter at the top of the list. As always, Sayers is eloquent and entertaining.

>69 VivienneR: Book bullet was probably from VictoriaPL. I put the book on my wish list after reading Victoria's review.

>70 VivienneR: The Wimsey books are so good! I'm waiting until enough time has elapsed to read them all again.

>71 pamelad: Yes, you are right. Thank you.

I will re-read them too. I still have three to read because I've been spreading them thin to make them last.

SeriesCAT - YA & children

Wild Boy: a tale of Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer

My favourite of the Rowan Hood series, so far. Springer demonstrates how thiis small group iin Sherwood Forest can help each other recover.

>65 VivienneR: I've finished The Woman in the Library and quite enjoyed it, despite the meta-fiction. My hypothesis on the Australian/American translations is that Sulari Gentill wanted to write a book set in America in order to expand her readership (She did - it has three times as many reviews as any of her previous books.) but she was trapped in Sydney by the pandemic so couldn't get there to do any research, and even if she had managed a trip to Boston there still would have been errors, so she headed off potential criticism about inaccuracies by making them a feature. Leo didn't sound all that American to me, with words like "shall" and "cinema". Or do Bostonians speak like slightly pretentious Australians? ETA As I do.

Bingo - about music or musician

Why Sinéad O'Connor Matters by Allyson McCabe

Apart from her famous song Nothing Compares 2 U and that she comes from Ireland, I knew next to nothing about Sinéad O'Connor and I was excited to find out more. McCabe's book is well-researched and provides a knowledgeable analysis of the singer. The misogyny that she has been subjected to, after the abuse suffered growing up was shocking. Her support of other artists, movements such as BLM, and allowing us to share her life through her music is why Sinéad O'Connor matters.

This was my latest ER book.

>70 VivienneR: Love Sayers. I know what you mean about the social commentary running along side, and never getting in the way of, the story.

>76 Helenliz: I know I replied to this earlier but must have been distracted before hitting "post message".

I loved reading about the Duke's trial in the House of Lords. Back in the 1920s most people would have had little idea of that.

GeoCAT - New Zealand

Photo Finish by Ngaio Marsh

Opera singer Isabella Sommita has been plagued by a tenacious paparazzi determined to get unflattering photos of her. A young man has attracted her notice for the opera he has composed especially for her. It's to be performed at a luxurious island location for celebrated guests including Troy Alleyn who will be painting her portrait, and her husband police inspector Roderick Alleyn. Sommita performed well, although the opera is mediocre. Naturally, this being a mystery novel, there is a storm, phones are cut off and the single trip by the small launch is unable to take everyone off the island. When Sommita is found murdered Alleyn and the launch operator are able to communicate by morse code using the bright lighting with drapes open, and even by semaphore, surely the weirdest part of the story. In my experience a storm might take out electricity leaving phones in working order, but obviously things are different in New Zealand.

Marsh is often compared to Agatha Christie but for me she is not in the same league as Christie. There was a lot of repetition in this humdrum novel, and it was dragged out so much that it cancelled any suspense that might have arisen despite ample red herrings.

RandomKIT - Water water everywhere

Raven Black by Ann Cleeves

Teenage girl murdered, mentally slow recluse suspected - not a big draw. This was not my favourite episode of the tv series and I didn't expect to like the book much. As well, I thought it too long. However, Jimmy Perez offers promise.

Bingo - STEM topic

The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield

Astronaut and Commander of the International Space Station, Canadian Chris Hadfield keeps the reader right there in the moment, whether in the spacecraft or on the moon. Gripping and full of suspense, this is the ultimate adventure with murder thrown in. I had heard this was full of technical details that has put me off reading it for a year, but it turns out this will be one of my favourite books of the year. Those details could only have come from someone who has experienced it all himself. He spares no scientific aspect and yet managed to keep my attention without pause.

The Apollo 18 and 19 missions were scrapped because of financial problems so Hadfield used Apollo 18 for his fictional mission of 1973 creating an alternative past and an utterly captivating story. He includes real life characters that also provide an authenticity to this Cold War era novel that details a mission to collect geological samples from the moon and take out Almaz, a Russian spy satellite, on the way. The satellite surprisingly turns out to have cosmonauts aboard (the real one was unmanned) one of whom is able to cling onto Apollo and is successfully brought aboard. Sounds incredible but the feat is taken from real life and Hadfield’s own experiences. A stunning blend of fact and fiction. He obligingly provides an afterword with a summary of elements and characters that were real.

>78 VivienneR: >79 VivienneR: Two series I hope to get to one day - I enjoyed your comments very much!

>81 MissBrangwen: I loved the Shetland tv series and watched the entire series twice! As a result I've put off reading Ann Cleeves' books because of the familiarity with each episode.

I have only read one Ngaio Marsh book before this one but hope there will be more.

AlphaKIT - G & A

The Girl in the Blue Beret by Bobbie Ann Mason

A polite reviewer might call this "quiet". I found it lacklustre, slow. I was looking forward to a novel about the French Resistance but this failed miserably.

Bingo - a bestseller from 20 years ago

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa

A beautiful story, delicately understated yet conveying an elegant message. Since an accident in 1975 the professor, a brilliant mathematician, is no longer able to remember anything after that date and his short term memory is limited to 80 minutes. The housekeeper has to re-introduce herself every day. He gave her son the nickname Root because his flat-topped head was a reminder of the square root symbol. His fascination with number theory is catching: prime numbers, theorems, equations, yet the story remains captivating and never boring. The professor's other passion is baseball, which is not one that I share and although I was able to follow, most of this slid over my head. However, the beauty of the story was not limited to numbers, but to the tender relationship that developed between the housekeeper, a single mother, her ten-year old son, and the professor. Absolutely charming, thought-provoking and unforgettable.

I just started a couple of hefty novels that won't be finished before the 31st so I'm calling it a month. And what a great reading month it was with three 5 star books!

March Summary

Books read in March:19
Books read this year: 53


Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchens
The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa


Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Stone Rain by Linwood Barclay


Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler
Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers
Wild Boy: a tale of Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer
Why Sinéad O'Connor Matters by Allyson McCabe


Post Captain by Patrick O'Brian
A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill


Photo Finish by Ngaio Marsh
Raven Black by Ann Cleeves


Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich
The Girl in the Blue Beret by Bobbie Ann Mason

>84 VivienneR: - This was one of our book club books a couple of years ago and I loved it too. In fact, I actually listened to it as an audio book and it was wonderful.

>86 dudes22: It would be a good book for a book club. I wouldn't have thought it would have made a good audiobook, with all those numbers, but now you've made me imagine it. I love number theory so I was hooked from the beginning.

>87 VivienneR: - I like numbers too. From what I remember, I was assuming they actually showed the math equations for some things. But I was thinking that I might not have paid as much attention if I was reading them and sort-of skipped over them.

>88 dudes22: There weren't many equations written out but I may have missed them in an audio version. In any case I made notes!

>80 VivienneR: STEM! I need one of those for BingoDog. I'm off to find this book!

>90 Tess_W: - That's a great idea.

Morning! Glad to see you liked The Housekeeper and the Professor so much. I read it a few years ago and keep meaning to find more from Ogawa.

>92 mstrust: - I listened to The Memory Police but it wasn't as good as THATP in my opinion.

>90 Tess_W: Glad to be able to help fill a Bingo square, Tess. It was terrific. It's difficult to make fiction credible, especially in this type of setting, but Hadfield managed it.

>92 mstrust: I loved it, Jennifer! I've had a look for other books by Ogawa too but I don't think any come up to the level of The Housekeeper and the Professor - as >93 dudes22: found too.

Welcome April



AlphaKIT April W

A Talent for Murder by Andrew Wilson

Wilson's novel posits that the real reason Agatha Christie disappeared for eleven days in 1926 was because she was being blackmailed by the doctor of her husband's lover. The idea that Christie could have been coerced into murdering the doctor's wife to prevent a scandal is unimaginable. The aptly named Dr Kurs went to extreme trouble and expense in planning a hit-job that is glaringly obvious would have been simpler and considerably less risky to perform himself.

This contrived poorly written novel was an entire waste of time. Yes, it's fan-fiction and not to be taken seriously, but Wilson's tale was so ridiculously far-fetched that he scuttled my interest soon after starting. I'm convinced Christie's name was only used as an attention-getter to attract Agatha Christie readers.

If you are looking for a novel featuring Agatha Christie as a character I recommend The Woman on the Orient Express by Lindsay Jayne Ashford.

RandomKIT - April: The seven ages of wo/man (child)

The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst

Beautifully written, but long. Not that I mind long books, but no matter how well Hollinghurst can write, a 563 page novel is too long. With a similar portrayal of class differences, this novel and its style can be compared to Brideshead Revisited although with less palatial grandeur and plot, and less subtlety in gay references. Hollinghurst's epic family saga could be regarded a social history of the 20th century, particularly deft in demonstrating how attitudes towards homosexuality changed. Although Cecil Valance, (said to parallel Rupert Brooke, which is not very complimentary to Brooke) a wealthy student friend and lover of George Sawle, died in the first World War, the undistinguished poetry from his short life influenced generations. In later years the memories generated take on an almost mythical quality, which might be said to be typical of most nostalgic memories.

Interesting that some of the Booker Prize judges of 2011 expressed a desire for books that "zip along". Unsurprising that Hollinghurst didn't progress from the long list.

RandomKIT - April: The seven ages of wo/man (lover)

Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn

Every nationality has family members who pressure singletons to marry, then follow up with the push to have children, but it seems Nigerian aunties are in the Olympic medalist echelon. The charming if immature, Yinka is delightful and ends up searching for a job and a boyfriend at the same time. This 31 year-old woman is smart, an Oxford graduate, yet lacks self-confidence and believes social media opinions of what a beautiful Black woman should look like. Blackburn’s debut is not a perfect book but it's witty and has believable characters. It is set in London's Nigerian community.

MysteryKIT - Tartan Noir

Dark Blood by Stuart MacBride

Grisly and violent but saved by abundant humour. I listened to an audiobook with fantastic narration by the author. This was lots of fun.

>84 VivienneR: I read that a long time ago, but I remember loving it.

>99 mysterymax: I've been telling everyone I know about it. I even got my number-resistant husband to read it.

RandomKIT: the seven ages of wo/man - judge

Tragedy at Law by Cyril Hare

Not sure why, but I feel like I've been reading this for weeks. I enjoyed it but it didn't hold my attention so my reading spells were short. Excellent plot and well developed characters. The ending was a complete surprise.

MysteryKIT - Aprll - Tartan Noir

Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin

Soon after starting this one, I realized I had inadvertently skipped a couple of books in the series so missed Rebus' absence. I will have to go back to find out the circumstances but now that he has returned, Siobhan is his superior officer, a pleasant change, and Malcolm Fox, from the Complaints department, is working with them, another interesting change. As well as a suspicious car crash they are investigating a decades-old case of police misconduct. I'm very glad Rankin brought back the cantankerous Rebus.

RandomKIT: the seven ages of wo/man - old man

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

I've always been reluctant to read this short book because the only description I've ever heard is that it's boring. What a mistake. It's fabulous.

ClassicsCAT - April - Mysteries

The Glass Key by Dashiel Hammett

This fits the "classic mystery fiction" prompt. Although I'm not a fan of hard-boiled writing, in my experience this was better than most in the style.

RandomKIT April: the seven ages of wo/man - soldier

The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West

A soldier, shell-shocked in the trenches of WWI, has lost all memory of the previous fifteen years, leaving him with idyllic memories of young love with an innkeeper's daughter. His arrogant upper-crust wife is a complete stranger, and a cousin (who relates the story) he remembers only as a child. A potential cure means he faces the memory of all the horrors of the front. Is this a real cure or is he better off sick? Even the doctor sees no urgency for change.

The opening chapter filled with upper class horror of anything below them almost put me off reading this book. A woman is noticed approaching the house and Kitty (the soldier's wife) is horrified - ugh, she is badly dressed, ugly, not one of us, don't open the door… That attitude prevails. While the wife is painted as saintly, the other woman, her clothing, her umbrella, is cruelly disparaged.

West's descriptions of nature are lengthy and beautiful, but of necessity character development is minimal as she focuses in on the small group. It is unfortunate that the author used outrageous class prejudice to highlight the tragedy, evidently unable to to recognize that it would be just as devastating in any circumstances. The result is overly romantic but as the author was aged 24 when she wrote this, her first novel, in 1918, maybe it is understandable.

>96 VivienneR: Although this is long, it sounds interesting to me! I love the cover, too.

>102 VivienneR: I need to get back to Ian Rankin!

>105 VivienneR: Great review!!! I have heard a lot about this book but now I know better what to expect when I get to it one day.

>106 MissBrangwen: It was interesting and I enjoyed it. I was sorry I had kept it on the shelf for so long before reading it. I love the cover too, very appropriate.

Rankin can always be relied upon to tell a good story.

Thank you. The Return of the Soldier was a surprise. Each time I spotted a weakness, the reason soon came to me. I changed my rating a dozen times.

GeoCAT April: Central & South America

Our Kind of Traitor by John le Carré

University lecturer Perry Makepiece and his girlfriend Gail Perkins, a lawyer, are on a tennis vacation in Antigua where they meet Dmitri (Dima) Vladimirovich Krasnov, a self-confessed money launderer. Dima wants to get out of the control of the Russian mob and believes Perry and Gail can help by passing information to MI6 in exchange for protection. John le Carré's writing is elegant and sophisticated, and captures the reader's attention from the first page although I could have done with less dialogue from the brash Dima. It's a captivating story as expected, but I will always miss George Smiley.

ScaredyKIT April - Food related

The Dinner by Herman Koch

I was eager to re-read this to find out if my first opinion still held. This is the review I wrote after the first read. Nothing has changed, except that it is even more chilling than I remember.

It's the kind of book where you can't look away - like driving slowly past a traffic accident. Every detail is important. In the early part of the book, the details may seem trivial, but then as more information comes out, it comes together. The story started in a way I thought I understood, I thought I knew where it was going. And then before my eyes it completely changed direction! By then I was utterly hooked. There are some weak spots in the plot but they are easily overlooked. This is dark, disturbing, unpleasant and shocking, but undoubtedly clever.

>109 VivienneR: taking a BB

>110 lowelibrary: April, I hope you can appreciate it (enjoy doesn't seem to be the right word).

KiddyCAT April - fantasy

Matilda by Roald Dahl

My copy was an audiobook with an absolutely fabulous reading by Kate Winslet. I can't believe that I've owned this since January 2019 without listening to it. Wonderful!

Love that one.
>109 VivienneR: I'm glad it held up to a second read. Maybe I need to look for that at my library.

>113 mstrust: I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone, but I think you can handle it. :)

RandomKIT April - the seven ages of wo/man - schoolboy

Theodore Boone: The Abduction by John Grisham

What I like about Theodore Boone books is that his investigations are not childish and the legal systerm is accurately portrayed. Both his parents are lawyers so this is only to be expected. It seems his law training has begun early. In this book, a friend of Theo's is missing and an abduction is suspected.

AlphaKIT April D

Dead Like You by Peter James

It appears a ten-year old cold case referred to as the "shoe man" has become active again. James' books are long and detailed, and in this case with some nasty potential offenders. It would have been a page-turner if it had been shorter, instead it was an effort to stay focused on the long drawn out story.

A warning, there are graphic details of assault so if you are looking for a book that passes the Bechdel test, this is not it.

>103 VivienneR: Since you liked the book, try the 1958 movie starring Spencer Tracy. I'm a big fan of the book as well, and thought the movie was very well done.

>117 mysterymax: Thank you for the recommendation! I'll look for it. After hearing the book criticized so much and for so long, I was very impressed at how well it was written and how much I enjoyed it.

AlphaKIT April: W

The Last Hand by Eric Wright

Charlie Salter is turning sixty, the age limit for police service. He is gradually being phased out by not getting any new cases to investigate and resolves this by taking on a cold case that he hopes will revive memories of his triumphs before he goes. The victim was a high-profile Toronto lawyer who was one of a poker-playing group, hence the title. The original investigation was unable to get past a red herring but Salter takes a different approach, successfully.

I've been reading this series out of sequence and although this didn't bother me, it was sad to see Charlie go.

RandomKIT April: the seven ages of wo/man: corpse

Beau Death by Peter Lovesey

When a man is showing his young son a building about to be demolished, the boy notices someone sitting in a chair in the exposed attic. The eagle-eyed young chap spotted a corpse, and one dressed in 18th century fashion. As this is in Bath, could it be the corpse of Beau Nash, Bath's favourite character and former Master of Ceremonies. He was said to have been buried at the abbey or in a pauper's grave, no one is quite sure, and if this is the the legendary character it will send historians into a flap. The world fireworks competition is being held at the same time and another murder occurs at the end of a display. With a dramatic scene at the conclusion, this was another terrific story featuring Peter Diamond. What I like about Lovesey's books is that I learn something about history as well as the tantalizing mystery liberally sprinkled with humour.

This book completes the seven ages of the challenge. This is what I read:

child: The Stranger’s Child by Alan Hollinghurst
schoolboy: Theodore Boone: The Abduction by John Grisham
lover: Yinka Where is Your Huzband by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
soldier: The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West
judge: Tragedy at Law by Cyril Hare
old man: The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
corpse: Beau Death by Peter Lovesey

AlphaKIT April D

Dry Bones by Margaret Mayhew

The colonel, an old soldier living alone with his cat in a small village, is summoned by his wife's friend who desperately needs help. A corpse has been found buried in the barn she is having renovated. She is quite willing to cover it up and leave it but the colonel is more principled and calls the police. There is not much to the story, and little in the way of investigation.

SeriesCAT April - no need to read in order

Muzzled by David Rosenfelt

As usual Andy is determined to retire and not to take on any cases. And as usual real life steps in to prevent it. My preference for Rosenfelt's books is audio, narrator Grover Gardner is able to portray the author's humour perfectly. No need to read the Andy Carpenter novels in sequence, they are just as enjoyable read as standalones.

April Summary

Books read in April: 18 - but some of them were very short
Books read this year: 71


no five star books :(


The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway


Dark Blood by Stuart MacBride
Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin
Our Kind of Traitor by John le Carré
The Dinner by Herman Koch
Matilda by Roald Dahl
The Last Hand by Eric Wright
Beau Death by Peter Lovesey


The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst
Tragedy at Law by Cyril Hare
Yinka, where is your huzband by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West
Theodore Boone: The Abduction by John Grisham
Muzzled by David Rosenfelt


The Glass Key by Dashiel Hammett
Dead Like You by Peter James
Dry Bones by Margaret Mayhew


A Talent for Murder by Andrew Wilson

This is what I plan to read in May, remembering that my plans often go awry.

RandomKIT - royal names
✔ Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris -the hunt for the regicides of Charles I
Situation Tragedy by Simon Brett - a Charles Paris mystery

MysteryKIT - true, unsolved
Richard III & the Princes in the Tower by A.J. Pollard

AlphaKIT - U & C
✔ The Unlocking Season by Gail Bowen
The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell

ScaredyKIT - surviving the horror
✔ The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

SeriesCAT - trilogies
✔ Hope by Len Deighton

ClassicsCAT - children's
Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce

GeoCAT - polar regions, islands
✔ Arctic Chill by Arnaldur Indridason

KiddyCAT - classics
The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

Historical Fiction Challenge
✔ I, Claudius by Robert Graves - classic work
Urn Burial by Kerry Greenwood - set in a different country

Bingo
Where the bodies are buried by Christopher Brookmyre - read a cat
Oxford Exit by Veronica Stallwood - book on the cover

>123 VivienneR: I can't believe another month has gone by.

>124 VivienneR: I started I, Claudius so many times that I had to give the book away. I felt its reproach. But it's a well-regarded classic, so I hope you have more success. I really liked Goodbye to All That, but it's a different sort of book.

>125 mysterymax: The months and years just melt away. I always look at books and think, lots of time, I'll read it later in the year. Suddenly it is later in the year.

>126 pamelad: I believe I have started it a few times too. The university library where I worked collected his manuscripts and papers so I developed an affection for him as he was seen almost like family. I hope I do better this time. I loved Goodbye to All That too.

>126 pamelad: I found I Claudius to be laugh-out-loud funny, at least in the audiobook I read 15 or so years ago. My regret is that I've never gone on to Claudius the God.

>129 NinieB: Well then, perhaps it was because the print was too small!

I often share books with my son's friend and in his last shipment to me were his copies of I, Claudius and Claudius the God with recommendations for both. Not sure, but I may have read it a very long time ago, back in the days when long classics were my favoured reading.

>129 NinieB: I'll be on the lookout for the laugh-out-loud moments.

Welcome to May's reading. I haven't been here in the last week but I finished two hefty books.



RandomKIT May - Royal Names

Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris

The Indemnity and Oblivion Act of Parliament 1660, the first year of the Restoration, was a pardon for crimes committed during the Civil War and the subsequent Commonwealth period with certain exceptions. Charles II made an exception for the men who signed his father Charles I's death warrant. The vengeful Richard Naylor (the only fictional character) is tasked with finding 13 regicides still at large. Two of those have fled to New England where Puritans are sympathetic, while their families who are left to live incognito in London face the Plague, the Great Fire, and constant vigilance. Harris takes the reader on a fantastic manhunt rich in detail in the vastness of New England as we follow not only the families of the regicides but the hunted men and their hunter. Well researched and well written.

This could have been used in the Historical Fiction challenge for an era I am unfamiliar with, but a story about the first King Charles was one I couldn't pass up for this month's RandomKIT.

I started with the audiobook version but it was tricky to follow the many characters, so I quickly switched to print.

Historical Fiction Challenge - Classic work

I, Claudius by Robert Graves

This is a fictional biography, although filled with actual events. Robert Graves gave Claudius a voice and personality - and what a personality! Intrigues and depravity were frequent but a speech impediment and physical handicap made Claudius appear innocuous, an unappealing target. He took to writing a history that made this into a gossipy journal that would give modern scandal sheets a run for their money. Reading it reminded me of a tv series I loved of the same name featuring Derek Jacobi and William Hurt that was broadcast a few decades ago. Excellent reading.

AlphaKIT - U

The Unlocking Season by Gail Bowen

I've always enjoyed Bowen's mysteries that are set in Saskatchewan but this one, while still a solid story, was a tad slow. A television series chronicling the life of Joanne's childhood friend is being filmed in her home town. While the scripts are still being finished the writer dies in suspicious circumstances.

The problem I have with Bowen's book is that they are scarce even in local libraries so it is difficult to read them in order, which is a must for this series.

GeoCAT May - polar regions, islands

Arctic Chill by Arnaldur Indridason

Indridason targets the underlying tensions in Iceland's multicultural society when the young son of a Thai immigrant is murdered. The murder reminds Erlendur of a tragedy in his own childhood and fleshed out more of his life story and what has made him so unsociable. I found the police investigation and interview techniques slow, almost to the point of incompetence, but the ending delivered some activity. Overall, it provides a snapshot of modern Iceland but as a mystery novel it's less than what I expect from Indridason.

ScaredyKIT May - Surviving the Horror

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

Hig survived the pandemic that has killed most people including his family and friends. Now he lives in a hangar with his dog, Jasper, and a volatile neighbour, a former soldier called Bangley. They manage to get by, even with the occasional forays of scavengers, and Hig is able to fly his Cessna short distances to salvage whatever might be useful.

Not only did the fragmented sentences and abbreviated writing suit the story perfectly, it was beautiful, poetic. And Heller knows the outdoors well and can impart the feeling and beauty of wide open spaces. I'm not a fan of post-apocalyptic stories but really enjoyed this one.

SeriesCAT May - Trilogies

Hope by Len Deighton

Reading Deighton's series out of order meant having to search my memory for background details. However, his light, entertaining writing style is easy to follow although I recommend reading the series in sequence. This one is set in 1987 when the Wall is about to come down.

>137 VivienneR: I think my favourite of the Bernard Samson novels is Spy Sinker. I really need to re-read them!

>138 rabbitprincess: I'm going to read my way through the Bernard Samson novels that I own. I really like Deighton and they've been sitting collecting dust for too long. I've read odd ones pre-LT but not in order.

>133 VivienneR: I adored this when I read it as a teenage. It's like a soap opera with sex and violence in spadefuls - but it's also classic literature, so clearly good for you. I learnt an awful lot reading this!

>140 Helenliz: Yes, it's essential reading for a teenager! And no need to be surreptitious. I loved it.

>133 VivienneR: Your enthusiastic review and the recommendations from NinieB and HelenLiz encourage me to give I, Claudius another try. It's a good choice for the November ClassicsCAT, The Ancient World.

>142 pamelad: Oh good! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Pretty sure that you will. I'll watch for your opinion.

>103 VivienneR: Old Man and the Sea - you heard it was boring because everyone who told you that had to read it in high school. Like me. I was stunned when I saw it at a bookstore as an adult and saw what a thin book it was. I remember it being hundreds of pages long. But look at that title and ask any teenage girl if she wants to read that. So much pain.

>144 Nickelini: Exactly! If you ask anyone what it's about they say, an old man catches a fish, nothing happens. True, and yet it was brilliant.

>144 Nickelini: - >145 VivienneR: - You two are funny - but right. I'm sure my antipathy toward it goes back to high school.

>146 dudes22: Try it again, Betty - and forget what you heard in high school.

AlphaKIT May C

The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman

Mia's success in a television series and her BAFTA nomination has led to some interest in LA. At an audition, Emily, one of the other actresses, is surprisingly friendly and then realizes just as she is about to go into the audition room that her parking meter needs to be topped up. She gave Mia her credit card and keys and asked her to deal with the meter while she is auditioning. When Mia returns, Emily has gone.

This was a nice twisty mystery that keeps the reader turning the pages desperate to find out what happened to Emily. While Mia discovers Hollywood has a ruthless streak, and is not the glamorous place of her imagination. And Steadman, an actress herself (Downton Abbey), imparts some of the strategies for getting through the "pilot season" in Los Angeles. The big Hollywood sign plays a small part in the story.

>148 VivienneR: that sounds fun

>149 Nickelini: Yes, it was fun. The main character is a wide-eyed innocent from England on her first trip to LA so can be forgiven for being so naive and trusting - almost. At times I wanted to give her a shake, which was the same reaction I had to the characters in Something in the Water an earlier book by Steadman. Flawed, but I'll still pick up another one by the author.

Bingo - set on a plane, train or ship

Stateless by Elizabeth Wein

An exciting account of a 1937 air race that was created specifically for young pilots and was intended to promote peace in a world on the brink of war. Stella North, representing the United Kingdom, is a one-time refugee from Russia and the only female competing against pilots with varying political sentiments from several European countries. When she witnessed two planes almost colliding, one flew away unscathed and the other plummeted to the ocean in what she believes to be the deliberate elimination of a competitor. Stella and other pilots investigate the event. The life stories of the competitors reflect the positions of European countries at the time, making this a good overall portrayal of the era. It's a fascinating and thrilling adventure story that although classified as Young Adult, readers of any age can enjoy.

>151 VivienneR: This one was already on my to-read list, but you've convinced me to bump it up!

>152 christina_reads: Good! I hope you enjoy it!

>133 VivienneR: I listened to this on audio, but I found that there were so many characters with the same names that I actually had to pull a chart of the net to follow along with the audio! Once I could follow the characters, I thought it was a good read.

>154 Tess_W: I thought it was just me! When listening to audiobooks I often make a list of characters. Most of the time it turns out to be unnecessary but with audio there is no chance of flipping back to check. I really enjoyed the book. I should really start on Claudius the God while this one is still fresh in my mind.

Come on over to visit me at part 3: https://www.librarything.com/topic/350981